Open-work knitting-machine.



- No. 846,430. PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

R. W. SCOTT. OPENWORK- KNITTING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20. 1906.

5 SHEETSSHEET 1.

0 8 V to No. 846,430. PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

R. W. SCOTT.

OPENWORK KNITTING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.20,1906'.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 846,430. PATENTED MAR. 5, 19071 f I 'R. W. SCOTT.

OPENWORK KNITTING MACHINE.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.20.1906. I

No. 846,430. PATBNTED MAR. 5, 1907.

R. W. SCOTT. I OPENWORK KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 846,430. PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907 I R. w. SCOTT.

OPENWORK KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.20,1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. SCOTT, OF LEEDS POINT, JERSEY, .ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO LOUISN. I). WILLIAMS, OF 'OGONTZ, PENNSYLVANIA.

OPEN-WORK KNITTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. v

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed September 20.1906. Serial No. 335,403.

To all whom, it may concern.-

citizen of the -United States, residing in Leeds Point, Atlantic county,New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in O en-VVorkKnitting-Machines, of which th fo lowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to providea machine of simple constructionfor rapidly producing knitted fabrics of meshed or openwork characterdue to the formation of eye.- let-holes in the web, the formation ofsuch eyelet-holes being effected by transferring sinker-Wale loops toadjoining needle-wales in the manner set forth in my applications,Serial No. 822,735, filed June 21, 1906, and Serial No.'331,014, filedAugust 17,. 1906.

Although my invention is not necessarily limited in its application to amachine employing latch-needles, it can most readily be adapted to sucha machine, and renders it possible to produce an effective eyelet fabricmachines emplying spring-beard needles, such as have hitherto been usedfor this class or work.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view ofsufficient of a circular-knitting machine to illustrate my invention.Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the cams of the cam-cylinderdeveloped in a" flat plane. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of thedial-cams of the machine. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are enlarged viewsillustrating the method of effecting transfer of a sinkerwale loop to anadjoining needle-wale. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on the lineat 'm, Fig. 8, of part of a multifeed circular-knitting machineconstructed f or carrying out my invention. 7 Fig 8 is an inverted planview of the dial-cams of such machine. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectionalview on the line a n, Fig. 10, but illustrating a s ecial constructionof the machine inten ed for disposing the eyelet-holes in different-Wales of the fabric Fig. 10 is an inverted plan view of the dial-cams ofsuch ma chine. Fig. 11 is a similar view of the dial cam-cap of amachine intended for transferring a plurality of sinker-Wale loops atone time. Figs. 12 and 13 are enlargedperspective views of a specialform or transfer device sometimes employed. Fig. 14 is a verticalsectional View of a rib-knitting machine to which my invention has beenapplied, and

1 Figs. 15 and 16 are views illustrating special Be it known that I,ROBERT W.- Soon, a 1 features sometimes embodied in a machine upon amachine of that type in place of the of this type.

Referring in the first instance to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, 1represents the needlecylinder of an ord nary circular-knitting machinehaving needles 2, which are verto the knitting-needles 2 being dependentupon the number and disposition of the vertical rows of eyelet-holeswhich are to be formed in the knitted web produced by the machine, butin any case being less than onehalf of the number of needles in order toproduce one or more plain wales between successive eyeletforming wales.

The machine shown in Figs. 1 to 6 is intended for the production ofplain webs. Hence there are no needles in the dial; but my invention isalso applicable to machines for producing ribbed web, and thereforeprovided with dial-needles,. as hereinafter explained.

The dial 4 is supported vertically upon a collar 6 at the lower end of acentral spindle 7, and to the latter is secured a dial cam-cap 9, whichis disposed above the dial 4, and carries the cams whereby thereciprocation of the transfer-points 5 in radial planes is effected. Inthe machine shown in Fig. 1 the cambox 3 and dial cam-cap 9 are intendedtobe the rotating members, the needle-cylinder 1 and dial 4 being fixed;but my invention is equally applicable to machines in which theneedle-cylinder and dial cam-box are fixed. The cam-cylinder 3 is, asshown in Fig. 2, provided with lift-cams 10, 11, 12, and '13, withdepressin -cams 14, 15, and 16, and with a series 0 guard-cams 17, thepurpose. of which will be explained hereafter.

The dial cam-cap has a fixed projecting cam 19, an adjustable projectingcam 20, adjustable retractingcams 21 and 22, and a fixed retracting-cam23, cooperating with suitable guard-cams, as shown in Fig. 3.

Each of the transfer-points 5 has its outer I end 5 in a differentlateral plane from that l of the main stem or shank, these two membersof the transfer-point being connected byf, and g in Figs. 2 and 3, thedirection of movement of the cam-cylinder and dial camcap being asindicated by the arrows in said figures, and the line. 1) indicating thepoint at which the needles 2 engage the knittingyarn from the yarn-guideat, whose lateral relation to the cams is represented the dotted circlein Fig. 2, the vertical position of the guide, however, beingconslderably higher than there represented.

Supposing that the needles and transferpoints are fullyretracted, theoperation of the machine when the cams of the dial cam-cap are adjustedto the positions shown by full lines in Fig. 3 will be as follows: Thetransferpoints 5 will first be projected by the cam 19 until their outerends 5* occupy a position between adjoining cylinder-needles, asrepresented in Fig. 4, and the needles will then be first partiallyprojected by the cam 10 and afterward fully projected by the cam 11, soas to be in position to receive the yarn from the yarn-guide 90. Whenthe needles are retracted by the cam 14 so as to engage and drawstitches of said knitting-yarn, the sinker-wales will be engaged andheld by the outer ends 5 of the transfer-points, and said sinker-waleswill then be slackened by the partial rise of the needles due to theaction of the lift-cam 12 thereon, the needles being then partiallydepressed again by the cam 15, so as to lower their hooks to a pointjust below the backs of the transfer-points, as shown at the left-handside of Fig. 1. The

said transfer-points are then projected by the action of the cam 20,which has the effect of bringing the diagonally-inclined members of saidtransfer-points into action upon the sinker-Wale loops previouslydeposited upon the outer members 5*, and this causes a lateraldisplacement of said loops, as well as a slight outward displacement ofthe same, due to the action of the shoulder 6 thereon, the parts beingnow in the relation to each other shown in Fig. 5. v

The transfer-points remain in the projected position until-the needleshave, by the action of the cam 13, been projected to the position shownat the right-hand side of Fig. 1, so as to enter the sinker-Wale loopswhich have previously been displaced into the path of the needles, asshown in Fig. 5. The transfer-points are then partially retracted by theaction of the cam 23 of the dial cam-cap in order to slacken thesinker-Wale loops, so that when the needles which are to receive thesame are retracted by the action of the cam 16 their books will engagesaid sinker-Wale loops, which are then released by the full withdrawalof the transfer-points under the action of the cam 22, the relation ofthe parts now being as illustrated in Fig. 6. son of this transfer ofthe sinker-Wale loops into adjoining needles-Wales eyelet-holes areproduced in the knitted web, and these eyelet-holes may be produced inany desired sinker-wales of the web, depending upon the number anddisposition of the transfer-points in respect to the needles of themachine. The production of eyelet-holes, however, presupposes not onlythe formation of plain wales between the eyelet-forming wales, but alsothe formation of one'or more regular courses of knitting between these,in which the sinker-Wale loops are transferred in the manner beforedescribed, and in order to effect this result in a single-feed machine,such as that represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, I depress the cams 21 and20 after each transfer to the positions shown by dotted. lines in Fig.3, whereby the transfer-points, although projected by the cam 19 to theposition shown in Fig. 4, will be retracted by the action of the cam 21before they reach the line b, at which the needles are retracted by thecam 14 in order to cause their hooks to engage the knitting-yarn.Consequently the sinker-w'ales will be formed below the transfer-pointsinstead of above and upon the same, and this operation may be continuedfor as many courses as it may be desired to have intervene between theeyelet-hole courses.

The same result may be effected even if the projecting cam 20 is notretracted to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, the pro- Byrea-' jection of the empty transfer-points in such case causing them toact as web-holders when the needles are projected to the position shownat the right-hand side of Fig. 1 by the action of the cam 13.

If the cam 20 is adjusted to the retracted position shown by dottedlines without retracting the cam 21, the result will be the slackeningof the sinker-wales due to the laying of the same upon the outer ends 5of the transfer points without effecting transfer and this operation ispreferably performed in a course preceding that in which the transferoperation is effected in order to increase the size of the eyeletholethereby produced.

If it is desired to effect the simultaneous transfer of a plurality ofsuccessively-formed sinker-Wale loops, such result can be effected byadjusting the cams 20 and 22 to the positions shown by dotted lines inFig. 3 and permitting the cam 21 to remain in the position shown by fulllines in said figure. The consequence of this will be that thetransferpoints will remain in the partially-projected position shown inFig. 4 until the desired the same to the transfer tion and subsequentretraction of the transfer-points, so as to effect transfer of'the pairsor groups of sinker-Wale loops onto the adj oining cylinder-needles.

In order to effect lateral spreading of the sinker-Wale loop so as toengage a needle on eachside of the same, I may usefa transferpoint withforked head split horizontally, one member of said forked head havingits diagonal portion 55 extending in one direction and the other memberhaving its diagonal portion 5 extending in the opposite direction, asshown, for instance, in Fig. 12, or

I may use two transfer-points having their outer ends 5 either side byside, as in Fig. 13, or in the same vertical plane, as in Fig. 12, oneof these transfer-points having its diagonal portion 5 extending in onedirection, and the other having its diagonal portion 5 extending in theopposite direction. When the transfer-point is provided with a forkedhead, as in Fig. 12, the outer end-of each of the members of the forkwill be sufiiciently resilient to permit the loop of yarn drawn down bythe hooks of the needles to spread said outer members so as to passbetween them when the transfer-point is retracted, and the same is trueof the transfer-points machine as many sets of cams will be employed inthe cam-cylinder and dial-cam cap as there are yarn-feedsin the machine,Figs. 7 and 8 showing a machine intended for using five feeds, thecam-cap having five sets of cams 19 20 21 22 and 23, which perform thesame functions as the corresponding cams'19, 20, 21, 22, and 23 of Fig.3, only one set of these cams (lettered X) being adjusted for effectingthe transferring operation, the cams corresponding with the other fourfeeds being adjusted to inoperative position in order to form four plaincourses of stitches between successive eyele=' hole courses:

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate an arrangement of cams in a dial-cam cap of afive-feed knittingmachine and show also one means which may be employedfor effecting the formation of eyelet-holes first in one Wale of the weband then in an adjoining Wale of the same. In this machine the plainprojecting cam 2O is replaced by a rotating notched wheel 25, havingalternate shallow and deep notches, the shallow notches engaging thebutts of the transfer-points and serving to project osition, but thedeep notches permitting t e butts to pass the Wheel without suchprojection. The number of transfer-points in the dial in this caseshould be one more or one less than an side of the view in even multipleof the number of notches in the wheel.

For instance, if the latter has twelve notches the number oftransfer-points in the dial may be twenty-three or twentyfive,thirty-five or thirty-seven, forty-seven or forty-nine. or so on, theresult being that on one revolution of the machine the transfer-points 13 5 7 9, &c., will be projected and the transferpoints 2 4 6 8 10, '&c.,

will not be projected, this order being reversed on the next rotation ofthe machine.

Fig. 11 illustrates an arrangement of cams which may be used in thedial-cam cap of a multifeed knitting-machine for the purpose ofefiecting the simultaneous transfer of a plurality of sinker-Wale loops.In this emodiment of my invention two notched Wheels 25 are employed,one in conjunction with each of two successive cams 21 these wheelshaving the effect of projecting'alter nate transfer-points to thereceiving position in the same-manner as the'wheel 25 of Figs. 9 and 10projects them to the transfer position, the following cams 20 22, and 23ef-. fecting the rojection of the transfer-points to the transfizrposition and their subsequent retraction in order to cast thetransferred loops. The use of the second wheel 25i-is for the purposeofinsuring the proper projection at the second feed of such of thetransferoints' as may after having been ro'ecte by the precedin wheel atthefirst ee have become acci entally' retracted from such projectedposition between the first and second feeds.

Inapplying my invention to a rib-knittin machine the sinker-wales may betransferre either to cylinder-needle wales or to dialneedle wales orsometimes to one and sometimes to the other, the transfer-points fortransferring the sinker-Wale loops to the cyl inder-needle's beingcarried by the needledial and alternating with airs or series of needlestherein and the points for transferring the sinker-Wale loops to thedial-needles being carried by the cylinderand likewise alternating withpairs or series of needles therein. A machine of this type isillustrated in Fig,v 14, the dial transfer-point being shown at theright-hand side of said figure in position totransfer a sinker-Wale loopto a cylinder-needle and a cylinder transfer-point being osition totransfer a sinker-Wale loop toa ial-n'eedle. This may be either a singleor a multi feed machine; but in the former case'the cams for operatingthe transfer-points should be adjustable to inoperative position inorder to provide for the formation of one'o'r more plain courses betweensuccessive eyelet courses. The dial-,needle-operating cams in a machineof this character will have an ac-. tion u on the dial-needles similarto the action 0 the cams of the cam-cylinder upon ICC shown at theleft-hand cylinder, 31 representing the needle-grooves of the dial, and32 representing the transferpoint grooves. Ina machine of this type Iprefer to use a transfer-point having the'stem 5 and outer end 5 in thesame longitudinal plane as shown in Fig. 16, the diagonal portion 5 ofthe point being connected to the stem by a right-angled portion 5*. Byreason of this construction the groove for the of of the Itransfer-points, each consisting of a stem transfer-point can beformedmidway pairs of needle-grooves in the dial, whereas if a transfer-pointof the character shown in Fig. 4 was employed the groove for itsreception would have to be formed in the space between one of thedial-grooves and the adjoining cylinder-groove, and in machines ofrelatively fine gage this space is insufficient.

Either of the forms of transfer-point which I have shown and describedis free from any hook, latch, or other obstruction, such as forms partof a transfer-needle, and the sinker-wale loops can therefore be castfrom the points without difficulty and with a minimum amount ofreciprocating movement of the point. Consequently the use of such pointsis always preferred, although my invention in its broader embodiments isnot limited to such use, but contemplates the use of transfer-needles ortransfer devices as well.

I claim 1. The combination, in a knitting-machine, of needles, means forknitting thereupon, means for transferring sinkerwwale loops toadjoining needles, and means for forming one or more plain wales andcourses between the wales and courses in which such transfer iseffected.

2. The combination, in a knitting-machine, of needles, means forknitting thereupon, means for transferring simultaneously to anadjoining needle or needles sinker-wale loops in a plurality of courses,and means for forming one or more plain wales and courses between theWales and courses in which the transfer is effected.

3. The combination, in a knitting-machine, of needles, means forknitting thereupon, means for transferring sinker-wale loops toadjoining needles, means for forming one or more plain wales and coursesbetween the wales and courses in which such. transfer is effected, andmeans for slackening the sinkerwale loop in advance of the transferredloop or loops.

thereupon,

structed loop-supporting portion beyond the same, means for advancing orretracting said points to engage, displace and release certainsinker-wale loops of the web, and means for operating said loops.

6. The combination, in a knitting-machine, needles, means for knittingthereupon,

the needles to engage and receive with inclined transfer portion havinga shoulder at the base of the same, and an outer unobstructedloop-supporting portion, means for advancing and retracting said pointsto engage, displace and release certain sinker wale loops of the web,and means for operating the needles to engage and receive said loops.

7. The combination, in a knitting-machine,

of needles, means for knitting thereupon,

means for transferring sinker-wale loops to an adjoining needle orneedles, and means for preventing en agement of the sinkerwales by thetrans 'er devices in some of the courses whereby the said sinker walesin such courses are not displaced. I

8. The combination, in aknit'ting-machine, of needles, means forknitting thereupon, means for transferring sinker-wale loops to anadjoininmneedle or needles, and-means for retracting the transferdevices, in knitting some of the courses, before they reach the oint atwhich. the sinker-wale loops will be lirid upon them. i

9. The combination, in a knitting-machine, of needles, means forknitting thereupon,

means for transferring sinker-wale loops to vices to remain in saidprojected position-or retracts the same in order to cause them to missthe loops.

11. The combination, in a knitting-machine, of needles, means forknitting thereupon, sinker-wale-loop-transfer devices, a cam forprojecting the same to receive said sinker-Wale loops, and a cam forfurther pro- {ecting the same to efiect transfer of said oops, saidlatter cam being adjustable to inoperative position.

. cams being adjustab e means for causing certain of the latter to ooactwith certain of'the knitting-needles and others to coact subsequentlywith others of said knitting-needles. 14. The combination, in aknitting-machine, of needles, means for knitting there upon,sinker-wale-loop-transfer devices, and a rotating. wheel for operatingsaid transfen devices in sets.

15. The combination, in a knitting-machine, of needles, means forknitting thereupon,and sinker-wale-transfer devices constructed toreceive a sinker-Wale loop and laterally spreadthe. same for engagementwith the needles on opposite sides of it.

16. The combination, in a knitting-machine, of needles, means forknitting thereupon, and a Sinker-wale-transfer device constructed toreceive a sinker-Wale loo ;l and spread the same for engagement wit theneedles on opposite sides of it, said transfer ,device havingmembersbetween which the transferred loop can pass when said transferdevice is retracted.

17. The combination,in a rib-knittin machine, of two sets of needles,means for ting thereupon, sinker-Wale-transfer devices, an means foroperating same to receive sinker-Wale loops and transfer them to needlesof. one set.

18. The combination, in a rib-knittin ma-. chine, of needles, means. forknitting t ereupon, sinker-Wale transfer devices, and means foroperating same to receive sinkerwale loops and transfer them toadjoining needles, some of said sinker-Wale devices eoacting withneedles of one set and others coacting with needles ofthe other'set.

19. A transfer-point for knitting-machines,

said point having a stem, a diagonal transfer member formed by an openbend in the stem, and an unobstructed loop-supporting member outwardlybeyond said transfer member.

20. A transfer-point for knitting-machines, said point having) a stem, adiagonal transfer member formed y an open bend in the stem and having ashoulder at the base of the same, and an unobstructed loop-supportingmember outwardly beyond said transfer member.

21. A transfer -point for knitting-machines, said point having a stem, adiagonal transfer member, formed by an open bend in the stem, and anunobstructed loop-supporting member outwardly beyond said transfermember and in the same longitudinal plane as the stem;

22. Aftransfer-point for knittingmachines, said point havin a stem, adiagonal transfer member formed y an open bend in the stem and havingashoulder at its base, and an unobstructed loop-supporting memberoutwardly beyond said transfer member and in the same longitudinal planeas the stem.

23. A transfer-point for knitting-machines, said point having a stem,and a diagonal transfer member with stem connection at its base at aright'angle to the stem and a loopsupporting member at its outer end.

24. A transfer-point for knitting-machines, said point having a stem,and a diagonal transfer member with stem connection at its base at aright angle to the stem and a loopsupporting member at its outer end,said stem and loop-supporting member being in the same longitudinalplane. I

25. The combination, in a knitting-machine, of needles, meansfor'knittingthereupon, and means for transferring simultaneously to anadjoining'needle or needles sinker-Wale loops in a plurality of courses.

26. The combination, in a knitting-machine, of-needles, means forknitting thereupon, means fortransferring simultaneously to an adjoiningneedle or needles, sinker-Wale loops in a plurality of courses, andmeans for forming one or more plain courses between successlve groups oftransferred courses.

"In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

I ROBERT W. SCOTT. Witnesses:

HAMILTON D. TURNER, KATE A. BEADLE.

